Ritz-Carlton Montreal

For the luxury

The Grande Dame of Sherbrooke Street has undergone major renovations and is home to chef Daniel Boulud’s Montreal outpost, Maison Boulud. Book a table for Afternoon Tea in the Palm Court, where the tropical atrium fresco makes for an elegant backdrop. The experience is even more refined on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays when the hotel offers Afternoon Tea guests a complimentary glass of bubbles.

Hyatt Regency Montreal

For the vicinity to festivals

This contemporary hotel overlooks Montreal’s Place des Arts, the city’s cultural hub – you’ll be steps from the Jazz Festival in the summer and the Montréal en Lumière fest in the winter. Even if your visit falls between events, there’s no lack of activities: Sainte-Catherine Street boutiques and shopping malls are within a stone’s throw, and the hotel pool, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a skylight, offers panoramic city views and kid-friendly fun.

Hotel William Gray

For the local flair

Independent Montreal streetwear boutique OTH has an outpost seamlessly integrated into the sleek lobby so you can shop Canadian labels like Naked & Famous and Raised by Wolves. Walk through to Café Olimpico, the second location of the Mile End institution established in 1970, for an espresso or a Perrier and Stappj, a hard-to-find Italian bitter soda.

Le Place d'Armes Hôtel & Suites

For a boutique hotel experience

Housed in a converted 19th century neoclassical building in Old Montreal, this 133-room boutique hotel is the perfect starting point for exploring the city’s historical landmarks. Book one of the high-ceilinged suites, complete with exposed brick walls and a large walk-in rain shower, and make sure to visit Rainspa, the property’s spa with hammam.

Sofitel

For the convenient location

Enjoy spacious rooms with a Bose radio, goose-feather comforters and marble bathrooms stocked with Lanvin products. Conveniently located in the city’s Golden Mile, this 17-storey hotel is ideal for business travelers looking to stay in the heart of the action.

Le Petit Hotel

For the budget-friendly rates

This 28-room property in a renovated Old Montreal building is big on style, with mod orange-accented furnishings, restored bamboo floors and stone walls. Le Petit Café in the lobby features a mural by local graffiti and graphic-arts collective En Masse and terrific viennoiseries.

LOV

For vegetarian eats

Located in Old Montreal, LOV (which stands for Local, Organic and Vegetarian) serves dishes like smoked beet sandwiches served on rye with mustard and red cabbage slaw. With tones of white and seafoam green, the decor features leaf-printed upholstery, bamboo woven lampshades and suspended chairs.

Dispatch Coffee

For the house-roasted brew

The Montreal roastery has three brick-and-mortar locations: a minimalist coffee shop created in collaboration with Rhoncus Design in the heart of the Plateau Mont-Royal, a flagship space in Mile-Ex and a café on the McGill campus. Pair your Dispatch brew with a selection of snacks prepared by local businesses, like vegan eatery Le Kitchen and Hof Kelsten bakery.

Agrikol

For a taste of Montreal’s Haitian community

Power couples from Toronto’s Black Hoof restaurant empire and Montreal rock band Arcade Fire teamed up to create the raucous Haitian charm of this art-filled restaurant in the Gay Village. Dig into plates of fried malanga-root accras, stewed oxtail and tender slow-cooked pumpkin in coconut sauce. Top it off with a mix-your-own ti’ ponch service: Barbancourt agricole rum with fresh-pressed cane juice, cane syrup and lime.

Larrys

For small bites and weekday breakfast

Start your morning with a cappuccino made with Portland’s Heart Roaster beans, then head back in the evening, friends in tow. Wash down small plates, like the preserved chicken, with a selection from the natural-centric wine list, or a pint of the Ghost Farm IPA, from one of the co-owners’ craft-brew side project.

Le Fantôme

For the inventive menu and décor

Chef Jason Morris and general manager Kabir Kapoor run this candlelit Griffintown hideaway, which features paintings by Morris’ great-grandfather and ceramic dishes crafted by his mother, Pauline. Try the PBJFG, a signature sandwich of peanut butter, strawberry jam and foie gras terrine on toasted brioche.

Automne

For homemade bread

The decor and menu at this bakery in the Petite Patrie neighbourhood draw inspiration from California, Scandinavia and France (think San Francisco sourdough, minimalist wooden chairs and baguettes). Chef-owners Seth Gabrielse and Julien Roy (winner of the top prize for apprentice bakers in France’s prestigious Mondial du Pain in 2013) make delicious bread and baked treats using nutritious, seasonal Quebec products.

Foxy

For the date-night appeal

The owners of Olive + Gourmando, a lunchtime institution in Old Montreal, tackle dinner service in this romantic Griffintown restaurant. There are no gas or electric burners; cooking happens using hardwood that’s been split and stacked in the alley out back. Puffed flatbread, topped with xeres shallots and three-cheese sauce, gets blistered in the wood-burning oven, while a deboned sea bass reaches crispy-skinned perfection on the wood-fired grill.

St-Viateur Bagel

For Montreal-style bagels

This shop has been hand-rolling bagels and baking them in a wood-burning oven since 1957. Locals, tourists and celebrities alike (it’s got Celine Dion’s and William Shatner’s seal of approval) pop into the 24-hour bakery for a dozen to go or an on-the-spot carb fix after a night on the town.

Schwartz’s

For the smoked meat

This shop has been hand-rolling bagels and baking them in a wood-burning oven since 1957. Locals, tourists and celebrities alike (it’s got Celine Dion’s and William Shatner’s seal of approval) pop into the 24-hour bakery for a dozen to go or an on-the-spot carb fix after a night on the town.

Phi Centre

For the multi-disciplinary art exhibits

Housed in a historic building built by John Ogilvy in 1861, the Phi Centre is a multi-disciplinary complex with a mission to make art accessible to as many people as possible. Look for screenings of international Cannes-awarded films and browse pop-up shops featuring products by up-and-coming designers.

Rooney

For high-end shopping

Located in a former antique shop in Old Montreal, this boutique stocks a selection of apparel, shoes, books, accessories, and apothecary products. Keeping quality manufacturing in mind, Rooney’s racks and shelves are filled with fashionable everyday wear by the likes of A.P.C, Wings + Horns and Won Hundred.

Bota Bota

For the sauna and spa treatments

Pop in for the detoxifying water circuit that takes you from the heat of the dry sauna or steam bath to cold baths and showers. Choose from 20 spa treatments, like the anti-aging Southern Star facial that uses the regenerative powers of monoi, bamboo and coconut, or book yourself a “Bota Bota massage,” choreographed to work in tandem with the sounds of a live harp performance.

Lachine Canal

For the best running route

The scenic path along the Lachine Canal stretches over 19.5 km, an ideal route for runners. For a 5 km run, start on the south side of the canal by Atwater Street and head east towards the Old Port. Run past former sugar factories-turned-luxury condos before crossing the Wellington bridge. Continue along the north side of the bridge until you reach Écluses St-Gabriel – the path will lead you back onto the south side of the canal.

Casa Del Popolo

For live indie music

Founded in 2000 by Godspeed You! Black Emperor bassist Mauro Pezzente and wife Kiva Stimac, the “House of the People” is a family-run vegetarian restaurant, bar, art gallery and music venue. Stop by in the afternoon for a vegetarian burrito and a pint of beer, then come back at night to catch up-and-coming local and touring musical acts perform on stage.

Mount Royal Park

For family-friendly activities

In the summer months, bring your kids on a gentle hike to the summit for unbeatable views of the city. Then, head towards Beaver Lake for an afternoon picnic and let your little ones roam freely. In the winter months, explore the mountain while cross-country skiing along its various trails, go for a skate on Beaver Lake or toboggan down the designated slopes nearby.

Henri Henri

In the eastern part of downtown, you’ll find this 1932 chapeau shop selling finely wrought classics for looking cool while keeping warm. Choose from wide- and small-brimmed, pageboys or top hats in felt, wool or fur.

Spade & Palacio

The year-round walking tour “Beyond the Basilica” takes you from Place d’Armes through the entertainment district and up to the Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhood. You’ll get a history lesson while seeing the vibrant work created during the latest edition of Montréal’s Mural Festival.

Getting from the Airport

Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) is located in Dorval, about half an hour from downtown Montreal. Highways 20 and 520 are the main access roads to the city, but there are other services available if you don’t have a car. For $10, the Express Bus 747 connects you from the airport to downtown Montreal every 15 minutes during peak times. Taxis charge a fixed rate of $40 from the airport to downtown Montreal.

Public Transportation

The metro is the most convenient way to go between neighbourhoods. The yellow line connects you with the South Shore suburbs and Île Sainte-Hélène to access Parc Jean-Drapeau, where Expo 67 was held. One ticket costs $3.25.

Bixi

See the city like a local (and save money) by hopping on a Bixi. The bike-share has over 460 stations and 5,200 bicycles navigating the city’s generous bike lanes. The system is set up for short trips; the base fee starts at $2.95 for a trip that lasts 30 minutes or less (longer trips cost extra). The season lasts from April to November.

Taxis

If hailing one from the street doesn’t work, you can easily find taxis waiting at the corners of major avenues in Montreal and near public attractions.